Cyclantera is edible: energy value and useful components that are included in the composition, why it is better for some people not to eat it. What dishes this product is added to. Until the recent past, cyclanteric treatment was practiced mainly in tropical countries, but today the culture is actively popularized. Currently, dietary supplements are made on the basis of the fruits. In our country, it is rare to find vitamin preparations based on cyclanters, but in America they are already widely represented on the market of natural products. Supplements based on Peruvian cucumber are advertised primarily as drugs that lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, as well as lower blood pressure.
Harm and contraindications to the use of cyclantera
In Russia today, only exotic lovers grow cyclanters, although it is possible that the situation will change soon, the fruits of this plant are very useful. And even they have practically no contraindications.
The only point that should still be taken into account is the individual intolerance of the components, which manifests itself in certain symptoms. In general, statistically, an allergy to cyclanter is a rarity, but statistics are relevant for residents of tropical latitudes. For us, whatever one may say, this useful fruit is exotic, and therefore a negative reaction to the product is not excluded.
Recipes with edible cyclanter
The fruits of the plant have a very unusual taste and open up a place for culinary specialists to be creative. Cyclantera is similar to cucumber, bell peppers and beans at the same time. Unripe fruits are eaten fresh, with a little salt beforehand. They are also added to various salads and soups, stewed with vegetables, fried, canned, stuffed and baked. Please note that the more ripe the cyclanter, the more pronounced the taste of the beans. In addition, keep in mind that fresh ripe fruit is usually not eaten, it is no longer so tasty, but it is quite suitable for heat treatment.
So, let's see what you can cook from cyclantera if this exotic thing somehow ended up in your kitchen:
- Pickled cyclanter … Prepare the fruits: peel, cut each in half and carefully remove all the seeds. Prepare the marinade: pour water (1 liter), vegetable oil (6 tablespoons), sugar (1 cup), salt (2 tablespoons and apple cider vinegar (1 cup) into a saucepan, you can substitute any other vinegar if desired. boil, put the prepared fruits in it and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sterilize the jars, on the bottom of each put a few cloves of garlic and a little parsley. Put the cyclanter on top, pour boiling marinade. Roll the jars and, when they cool, put them in the refrigerator.
- Chicken soup with cyclanter … Cook whole chicken broth. Finely chop cyclantera fruits (10-15 pieces), onions (400 grams), fry them in butter. Add exotic fruits and onions to the broth and cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the stock and chop the meat into small pieces, then return to the pot. Soup is good to serve with fresh parsley or cilantro, and broth from any other meat can act as a base.
- Exotic salad … Cut the cyclantera fruits (8-10 pieces) into small cubes and sweet peppers (4 pieces) into thin strips, stir, salt and pepper. Cut the fetax cheese (400 grams) into large cubes, add to the salad and season with olive oil.
- Fried cyclanter … Heat vegetable oil (2 tablespoons) in a heavy-bottomed skillet, fry the ginger root (2-3 centimeters) and garlic (2 cloves). Add sliced cyclantera fruits (3-5 pieces) in strips, then also chopped carrots (1 piece), cook for a couple of minutes. Add thinly sliced mushrooms (3-6 depending on size). Simmer for a couple more minutes. Now pour in soy sauce (50 ml), add sugar (1-2 teaspoons), and then finely chopped green onions (small bunch) and chili peppers (1 piece). Cook for 2-3 minutes and add thickener - starch or sesame oil. The first one must first be diluted with water in proportions of 1: 1. Turn off the heat and let the dish sit for 5-10 minutes. Ideally, this dish will complement the so-called Worcester sauce, but it is not so easy to find it in our stores. But if you're lucky, keep in mind that you need to add it during the cooking phase when the soy sauce is added. And regarding mushrooms: 3 varieties will sound especially good in this recipe - champignons, woody mushrooms and shiitake, just keep in mind that the latter must first be soaked in water for a couple of hours, and it is better to keep the woody mushroom in water overnight. Champignons do not require preliminary preparation.
- Stuffed cyclanter … Grate carrots (1 piece) on a coarse grater, finely chop onions (1 piece) and fry in vegetable oil. Mix dry rice (100 grams) and minced meat (200 grams) - you can take from any meat. Add fried vegetables to the mixture, salt, pepper, and season with your favorite spices. Prepare the cyclantera fruit, cut off the tops and carefully remove the seeds. Divide the prepared stuffing mixture over the fruits. Combine sour cream (150 grams) and tomato paste (150 grams), salt the "sauce" and place on the bottom of a saucepan. Spread the stuffed fruits on top and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Serve the dish along with the sauce in which it was stewed.
Let us repeat again, in this article we are talking about an exotic product for Russian cuisine, and therefore the use of cyclantera in recipes is a rare practice. However, this fact opens up a lot of room for experimentation. Recall that the Peruvian cucumber tolerates any heat treatment, but it is also delicious raw. We are sure that you will be able to come up with many interesting author's recipes, starting from the aforementioned fact, as well as the taste of the product - sweet peppers, cucumbers and beans in one person, well, how can you not fantasize here.
Interesting facts about cyclanter
The plant was one of the first to grow in the ancient Inca civilization, which was located on the territory of present-day South America. The fruits were highly valued by the people, used for various purposes - culinary, medicinal, cosmetic.
Today, the culture is not given due attention, only recently plant breeders and scientists began to show interest in cyclanter. In 1989, the book "Forgotten Inca cultures promising for widespread distribution" was published in the United States, which featured a Peruvian cucumber.
Cyclantera is not only a tasty and healthy fruit, but also an excellent ornamental plant. It blooms with beautiful white flowers, which gather in clusters on numerous branches-lianas, which tend to braid the support.
In Russia, the plant is still grown, but perhaps amateur summer residents. Their stories about the experience of domesticating an exotic plant for our country can be found in various thematic forums. By the way, on the same forums you can also read recipes for making fruits.
It is noteworthy that this tropical culture perfectly takes root in our climate. In many ways, its cultivation technology is similar to the cultivation of an ordinary cucumber, but, of course, there are differences. In its natural habitat, it grows in the mountains, and therefore is not accustomed to extreme heat. The optimum temperature for her is 20-25 degrees.
In countries where the Peruvian cucumber is actively cultivated or grows naturally, it is used as a traditional medicine. A special tea is brewed from the seeds, which helps to control high blood pressure, lowers blood cholesterol levels. Also, the grains are ground into powder and eaten for the prevention and control of parasites. And with the powder from the root of the plant, they brush their teeth. Not all types of cyclantera can be eaten: out of 30 varieties, only one is suitable for this purpose.
Watch a video about the cyclanter:
Cyclantera is an amazing vegetable. During the flowering period, it is an excellent ornamental plant, during the fruiting period, it is a useful and tasty fruit. If you ever have a Peruvian cucumber in your hands, be sure to try this exotic product.
